Global Nuclear Security Technology Division

Threat Controls

The Threat Controls (TC) mission is to protect, recover, and disposition at-risk nuclear material in a global theatre. Threat Controls personnel have the experience and expertise to plan complex projects, manage nuclear material issues, package material for removal, transport it to a safe destination, and implement disposition efforts.  Roles and responsibilities include inspection, evaluation, vulnerability assessment, protection planning, accountability, packaging, transportation, monitoring, and arranging for final disposition of at-risk nuclear materials.

Emerging Threats

Team members have multiple assignments resulting in safe removal of SNM and sources; past missions include Project McCall, Project Sapphire, Project Maximus, and Project Olympus.  Project plans and methods, developed to enable quick response and remote nuclear operations, address material characterization, packaging, and transportation of uranium materials internationally. This team has successfully led multiple DOE and DoD emerging threat operations, ensuring the recovery of uranium materials and sources to reduce the threat of nuclear proliferation. We continue to enhance techniques to increase the sophistication of material characterization technology, improve response times, ensure the availability of a trained rapid response team, and to provide viable disposition options. 

Fiscal Control

The Fiscal Control (FC) team supports the GSNP Office and GNSTD personnel through financial program management.  FC provides daily project control and fiscal management for all GNSTD program and project effort. The team monitors foreign and domestic subcontract effort, communicates resource management details with project leads and technical project officers, ensures timely funding transfers and accurate application of cost, and audits invoices.  GNSTD project effort requires both domestic and foreign subcontract support. Foreign contracts and shipments must be closely monitored to ensure compliance with export control regulations.

Threat Reduction

Work within the Global Threat Reduction Initiative to eliminate stockpiles of highly enriched uranium (HEU) internationally and encourage eligible countries to convert their research reactors from HEU to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel.  Meticulous negotiations with eligible countries are required prior to implementing agreements and action.   Technical support is provided to NA21 in policy development, cost analyses, and technical reviews. After agreement has been reached, detailed plans are developed to package and ship at risk material.

Fissile Materials Disposition

ORNL leads two portions of the Fissile Materials Disposition Program (FMDP) related to disposition of weapons grade plutonium in the U.S. and Russia respectively.  ORNL provides technical and contractual support to NA263 for implementation of the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement with Russia, the goal of which is to ensure disposition of 34 MT of surplus weapon grade plutonium in both the U.S. and Russia. Team members are responsible for working with the Russian State Corporation Rosatom and its constituent parts to plan and implement all aspects of material disposition.  

Human Reliability Research and Technology (HRRT)

Promote, coordinate, research, and develop a broad spectrum of human reliability methodologies and technologies to support USG agencies in identifying and mitigating insider threat issues.  Continue to provide technical support to the Russian Federation Personnel Reliability Program (PRP), as defined and funded by NNSA Office of Nuclear Weapons Protection.  Assist the Office of Global Threat Reduction in the analysis of the insider threat through the Insider Threat Action Team.

Vulnerability Assessment

GNSTD has extensive experience in performing Vulnerability Assessment (VA) on a variety of sites and targets. Targets assessed include nuclear material and weapon sites, research and military facilities, utility hubs, and commercial sites. The analysis provides a status of the physical protection system (multiple elements) based on defined threat. A variety of tools and applications are available to evaluate elements of protection. These tools provide an objective assessment of system effectiveness, a gauge of detection, assessment, delay, response, and neutralization.  GNSTD VA capability includes both unclassified and classified assessments. Related activities include upgrade analysis, protection planning, protection system design, security system assessment, and physical security inspection.

Nonproliferation Education

The Global Safeguards and Security Educational Center (GSSEC) offers multiple courses developed and presented by GNSTD staff. Integration of the existing training and certification elements and linking of the supporting infrastructure establishes a unique capability and capacity for nonproliferation related education. Educational capabilities span most functional areas of nonproliferation.  The center shares resources, ideas, and intellectual infrastructure.  GSSEC provides multiple courses for certification, training, functional workshops, and educational development. Courses offer access to a wealth of experience and technical expertise, innovative solutions to proliferation issues, and real world application of process and systems.

Sharon Wagner
Threat Controls
Global Nuclear Security and Technology Division
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008, MS6050
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6050